蚂蚁在亚热带森林生态系统物质循环和能量流动中发挥重要作用, 但不同树种可能通过改变林下微气候、地表环境和凋落物等的季节性差异调控蚂蚁群落结构。于2023年7月至2024年3月在福建三明森林生态系统国家野外科学观测研究站同质园平台, 采用陷阱法原位调查6个代表性树种对蚂蚁群落结构组成、分类学类群和功能群差异及其调控因子的季节性影响动态。实验期间共捕获蚂蚁30 389头, 隶属于19属30种, 呈现出夏秋多样性高、冬春多样性低的趋势, 优势种为宽结大头蚁(Pheidole nodus)和黑褐举腹蚁(Crematogaster rogenhoferi)。树种显著影响了蚂蚁的多度, 影响程度表现为: 枫香(Liquidambar formosana)>米槠(Castanopsis carlesii) >无患子(Sapindus saponaria）>杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata) >醉香含笑(Michelia macclurei)>马尾松(Pinus massoniana)。不同季节及其与树种的交互作用也显著影响蚂蚁功能群结构, 夏季杉木林下广义切叶蚁亚科的多度显著高于其他树种, 春季米槠林下气候特化种的多度相对较高, 马尾松林下相对较低。典范对应分析(CCA)显示, 土壤温度、土壤有机质含量、地上生物量和凋落物生物量可解释50%以上的蚂蚁群落结构变异。这些结果为深入认识亚热带森林树种与蚂蚁等相似土壤动物类群的结构和功能提供了基础数据。

Aims Ants play important roles in material cycling and energy flow in subtropical forests. However, there remains a knowledge gap regarding how different canopy tree species regulate ant community structure by altering seasonal patterns of understory microclimate, soil surface environment, and litter properties. Methods From July 2023 to March 2024, ant community structure composition, taxonomic and functional group differences, diversity characteristics, as well as their seasonal dynamic changes were investigated in a common garden of Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station. Six representative canopy tree species were selected to check the relationships between trees and ant community in the mid-subtropical evergreen broad-leaf forests. Important findings During the investigation, a total of 30 389 ants were collected, belonging to 19 genera and 30 species with the dominant species of Pheidole nodus and Crematogaster rogenhoferi. we found higher ant diversity in summer and fall but lower diversity in winter and spring. The tree species significantly influenced ant abundance, with the following order: Liquidambar formosana > Castanopsis carlesii > Sapindus saponaria > Cunninghamia lanceolata > Michelia macclurei > Pinus massoniana. Moreover, sampling season and its interaction with tree species also significantly affected the structure of ant functional groups. Among others, the abundance of Generalized Myrmicinae under Cunninghamia lanceolata in summer was significantly higher than them under other tree species, whereas Climate Specialists showed relatively higher abundance under Castanopsis carlesii in spring but lower abundance under Pinus massoniana. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that soil temperature, soil organic matter content, aboveground biomass, and litter production could explain more than 50% of the variation in ant community structure. The results not only elucidated the relationships between tree species and ant community in mid-subtropical forests, but also provided primary data for knowledge on other similar soil fauna.